Mobile Chair Automatic Locking Mechanism for Egress Stability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile chairs require active user involvement to manage movements, which detracts from stability and ergonomics, especially during ingress and egress, as existing joints need user interaction to enable or hinder movements.
Innovation Solution
A self-stopping mobile chair system with a locking mechanism that automatically locks the seat in a predetermined position based on the user's intent to egress, using an actuator connected to the locking mechanism to configure it between engaged and disengaged states, allowing the chair to lock or unlock without user intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If active user involvement is required to manage chair movements, then the chair can be controlled, but stability and ergonomics deteriorate during ingress and egress
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism automatically detects when the user is seated and locks the seat in position without requiring user action. The system serves itself by using sensors to detect user presence and automatically engaging the lock, eliminating the need for the user to manually stabilize the chair during ingress and egress.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism engages in advance before the user completes the ingress or egress action. By detecting when the user is seated and automatically locking the seat, the system prepares the stable state beforehand, preventing instability during the transition rather than reacting after the problem occurs.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a locking mechanism is added to automatically lock the seat, then stability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical sensing systems with simpler electronic or optical sensors to detect user presence. This substitution allows the locking mechanism to be activated automatically without requiring complex mechanical linkages or user interaction mechanisms, thereby improving stability while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A self-stopping mobile chair system comprising: a chair including a base, a joint and a seat coupled to the base via the joint to allow a movement of the seat relative to the base between a fore position and an aft position; a locking mechanism configurable between: an engageable state in which the locking mechanism locks the seat upon the seat being in a rated position between the fore and aft positions, the seat movable toward the rated position to be locked by the locking mechanism, and a disengaged state in which the seat is movable between the fore and aft positions unhindered; and an actuator connected between the seat and the locking mechanism to configure the locking mechanism either in the disengaged state upon the seat bearing a force or in the engageable state absent the force. There is also provided a movement stopping system for a mobile chair.